When we are talking about medieval man´s underwear, we do remember a shirt, the hose and some kind of breeches, often called braies. But let´s talk about loin cloth and rolling.

Finnish reenact or and historian Jani Hyväri has for years told his thoughts about medieval underclothing. He is convinced that they are not sewn breeches, but a loincloth rolled.

He has a believable argument for it, starting from the origin of word braies. In ancient latin word bracis means “rolled”. According to him this kind of underpants was worn already by ancient romans.

If you look at medieval pictorial sources, like Majiejowsky Bible you can see several underpants with rolls and slits on side. So people make loose sewn pants which are rolled from the top and has a slit on side. Why?

I´m leaving each and everyone to think about this, but also want to show a loin cloth is rolled and how it looks just like on 13th and 14th century pictorial sources. Two ways to make it, two models, Ene and Riku, who has been wearing loincloth for several years.

Enes cloth is about 120 x 150 cm, Riku´s 100 X 150 cm. You will find your favorite size and way to tie by testing.

7. Toinen tapa: nosta takaosan lieve vyötärölle eteen ja etulieve sen kanssa ristiin. Lannevaate alkaa näyttää jeesusmallilta7. Another, really short model you get if you take the edges and bring them crossed to the waistband. This model looks like Jesus-model.

8. Helpoin tapa lyhentää lahkeet on sitoa helmat solmuun.8. The easiest way to shorten the leg part it to tie a knot.

9. Kääri lopuksi yläosa nauhan ympärille.9. Finally roll the top around the waistband.

PPS. sanovat, että tätä voi käyttä jopa pyyhkeenä ja pöytäliinana, mutta käyttöjärjestys kannattaa miettiä…PPS; hahaa, they say that cloth can be used also as a towel or table cloth, but do consider, in which order…

8 thoughts on “Näin se tehdään: lannevaatteen kääriminen – katso kuvat ! / Braies and how they do it -pictures!”

Very interesting! Say thanks to the guys for being brave and letting their photos loose on the internet. 😉

I've only experimented with roll-topped braies before, but not with ones that are entirely wrapped. (My usual pattern is similar to the one here: http://amostpeculiarmademoiselle.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/wardrobe-plans.html ). I'm amazed how well the loincloth-like version mimic the manuscript images — in particular the gap for the hose ties and the slits seen in the lower edges of the braies' legs (both of which are rarely seen in reproductions).

Thank you SO much for writing this and for putting up so many detailed photographs! We work as Medieval crafts people and Charlie demonstrates how to make a Wattle and daub panel, for a house, by taking off his hose and working in his braies – for the last 7 years he has made different loose 'pants' to wear with them but they never quite looked 'right' and now this evening he has tried this method and he looks 'right'! We will take some pictures to show you! Karen Slade and Charlie Slade – Company of Artisans, UK